In Memoriam

Every once in awhile, I look at my StatCounter page, to see where people are coming to this site from....and I noticed, that several views from today, are to one of the first few posts I made. It was closing in on Memorial Day 2009, but what I wrote was more to put emotions to words, than for the upcoming day of remembrance. Not many [any?] who stop by now, were around these parts in 2009, so for those that are now......I'd like to introduce you to SFC Jim Doster.

From 2009:

On the 29th of September 2007, I lost my friend Jim Doster.

A guy, who like me, wanted nothing more than to lead soldiers one more time before retiring. A guy who, like me, had heartache about where the Army had sent him during his career, and the regrets of missed opportunities. Jim and I became friends while sitting next to each other during Battle Staff NCO Course at Fort Riley. Since we had PC's at our desks, we would entertain each other by trying to find the most ridiculous and raunchiest pictures possible on the internet (not easy on a .gov domain), while the instructor droned on about Combat Service Support or some other less than thrilling topic.

Leading men in battle is the pinnacle of the profession of a warrior. It's not a dream or desire that someone truly wishes for, because true warriors pray for peace. But when the call comes, there is no greater honor, nor greater test than meeting the challenge of combat, defeating your enemy and keeping your men alive.

After enduring the indentured servitude of staff work at FOB Falcon, Jim was called up, and took the reigns of a platoon of door kickers from our Brigade, but based out of FOB Rustimiyuh. A couple of weeks before he was scheduled to come home for R&R, an IED took his life. He didn't go quickly or without a fight. Despite severe trauma and loss of blood, Jim held on through the evacuation to the CSH in the IZ (Green Zone). He fought his greatest battle, but it was not enough.

My Brother, who I could always go to when I was down....who would always join me in bitching about the oxygen thieves we worked with, and for......left for another FOB, and then left forever.

Like me, he had a loving wife and two beautiful daughters that were the center of his universe. We made plans to get our families together after we returned from Baghdad. We talked of our plans to retire and what in the world we would do once we grew up.

Two friends, two Brothers..........united in profession, the love of our families and the simple pursuit of trying to do the right thing. One gets to go home and lead a full life, the other ripped away in an instant. One family living each day in innocent bliss, sometimes taking for granted the true treasures of life; the other living each day changed by the pulse of an electrical circuit and explosives, never enjoying a day without sorrow.

Why? Who rolled the dice that day and decided that Jim couldn't come home? What greater purpose was served by Kathryn and Grace not having their Daddy? My greatest nightmare is to think of Emelie and Susanna in that same situation. That's all I can write now, I'm sitting in Starbucks and people are starting to look at me funny.

I try to honor Jim's memory in the only way I know how.....to love my wife and daughters like he loved his. I wear his KIA bracelet on my wrist everyday to remember.

Back to today; each Memorial Day [or when I'm alone and have time to think about it] I try to raise a dram of SMS and listen to The Green Fields of France [preferably the Dropkick Murphy's version, as I was in Iraq going through some hard times when I first heard it].

[Last chorus]

And I can't help but wonder oh Willy McBride

Do all those who lie here know why they died

Did you really believe them when they told you the cause

Did you really believe that this war would end wars

Well the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame

The killing and dying it was all done in vain

Oh Willy McBride it all happened again

And again, and again, and again, and again

Did they beat the drums slowly

Did they play the fife lowly

Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down

Did the band play the last post and chorus

Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest

As I commented on an excellent blog a few days ago, It should be legal to punch anyone who says "happy Memorial Day" while on their way to a BBQ or a store sale.

I fucking hate Memorial Day.

A fleeting truce among gentlemen.......

Could it ever happen again?

Brigade HQ cabled him: "It is thought possible that enemy may be contemplating an attack during Xmas or New Year. Special vigilance will be maintained during this period. 

Nonetheless, Col Laurie...gave orders not to fire on the enemy the following day, unless they fired first. At 8.30pm on Christmas Eve, he signalled brigade HQ: "Germans have illuminated their trenches, are singing songs and are wishing us a Happy Xmas" 

Compliments are being exchanged but am nevertheless taking all military precautions." No shots had been fired since 8pm, he added. 

Col Laurie went on to describe how soldiers from both sides were mingling. The Germans, he wrote, were "fine men, clean and well clothed. They gave us a cap and helmet badge and a box of cigars. One of them states the war would be over in three weeks as they had defeated Russia!"

Brigade HQ replied at 12.35am – Christmas Day – saying: "No communication of any sort is to be held with the enemy, nor is he to be allowed to approach our trenches under penalty of fire being opened."

Irish Times

Pearl Harbor Day

Remember the fallen.......

Keep it together man......

I couldn't.

Those who mourn our fallen warriors, aren't just the two-legged.

R.I.P. Rockford.....

Actor James Garner passed yesterday at the age of 86.

He joined the National Guard serving seven months in the United States. He then went to Korea for 14 months in the Regular Army, serving in the 5th Regimental Combat Team in the Korean War. He was wounded twice, first in the face and hand from shrapnel fire from a mortar round, and second on April 23, 1951 in the buttocks from friendly fire from U.S. fighter jets as he dove headfirst into a foxhole. Garner was awarded the Purple Heart in Korea for the first injury. For the second wound, he received a second Purple Heart (eligibility requirement: "As the result of friendly fire while actively engaging the enemy"), although Garner received the medal in 1983, 32 years after his injury. Garner was a self-described "scrounger" for his company in Korea, a role he later played in The Great Escape and The Americanization of Emily. Wiki

Always a Brother.....

Soldiers dressed in full Army Dress Blues filled the front seats of Mountain View High School graduation ceremony on June 7, 2014; a unique sight, even for a city located just outside a military installation. As Lluvia Loeza’s name was called, the Soldiers rose to their feet and rendered a salute. 

Lluvia’s brother, Staff Sgt. Roberto Loeza, Jr., was an Infantry Rifle Squad Leader and Headquarters Platoon Sergeant in Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division out of Fort Bliss, Tx. He deployed with the unit to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2011. Before leaving, he made a promise to his youngest sister, Lluvia, that he would be at her graduation to watch her walk the stage but unfortunately could not keep that promise.  

Staff Sgt. William Berry a member of Charlie Company and a friend and comrade of Roberto, stated that, “Staff Sgt. Roberto Loeza, Jr. was a loving and caring father and family man. His Soldiers held him in very high regard and respected his leadership and presence.” 

Roberto died of injuries sustained by indirect fire on May 25, 2012 while serving in Logar Province, Afghanistan.  

Roberto’s brother, Esteban, wanted to surprise their sister. He sent out a message through Facebook to Roberto’s old unit asking for volunteers to stand in his place. The call was answered immediately.  

Though the majority of the unit is deployed once again to Afghanistan, the Battalion’s rear detachment known as Task Force Stalwart West led by the Battalion Executive Officer, Maj. George Chigi, along with Maj. Christopher Penwarden and Sgt. 1st Class Bernie Brooks, organized a group of Soldiers to attend Lluvia’s graduation.  

More than 30 Soldiers from 1-4 Infantry Battalion attended the graduation. Also in attendance were several Soldiers from the Ft Bliss area that knew Roberto well including Penwarden and Sgt. 1st Class Jason Yeazel.  

Lluvia was completely surprised by the Straight and Stalwart Battalion Soldiers who gathered in their Army Service Uniforms. Making the event even more special for her, Chigi was given permission by the school district’s superintendent to present Lluvia with her high school diploma.  

Lluvia was just as impressive as her older brother; her discipline and drive earned her the distinction of the 4th highest grade point average in her high school. Lluvia’s brother is sure to have been proud to know that Lluvia’s efforts earned her more than $100,000 in college scholarships. 

The entire Loeza family was overwhelmed with emotion. They were happy to see so much support from the Straight and Stalwart Battalion for their son and Lluvia. The families of the other graduating students were awestruck by 1-41 Infantry Battalion as it rendered honors to Lluvia, the family, and Roberto. 

“It was a very emotional and uplifting event for us and the family. All and all we fulfilled a fallen Soldier’s promise and we did it with pride and honor and represented the 1-41 Infantry Battalion with nothing but the upmost respect and pleasure doing it for the family,” said Brooks, the Charlie Company First Sergeant.

Link

In Memoriam

h/t photo - Phase Line 'Birnam Wood'

Remember the fallen.....and remember those they left behind.

If I hear anybody say "Happy Memorial Day" this weekend.......

I'm going to throat punch them.

That is all.

Courage amidst Chaos

Amidst the tornados that struck the southwest last week, three incredible stories of selfless service, sacrifice and courage...though I'm sure there are many more I haven't seen.

Heroic Teen Saves Disabled Vets From Arkansas Tornado

A story of heroism is emerging out of the deadly tornadoes that struck the Little Rock, Arkansas area Sunday. Christian Gunter, 19, made sure 10 disabled veterans made it to safety as the storm barreled through a long-term care facility in Vilonia. 

Gunter, who manages the home for mentally and physically disabled ex-soldiers, discussed his actions this afternoon with Gretchen Carlson. He explained that he was already there when the tornado came through. 

Gunter made sure he got all the vets loaded into a vehicle and transported to a church about a mile away that serves as a storm shelter. The home sustained major damage as parts of the roof were torn off. 

"It's always our priority to take the best care of them that we can possibly do. Our guys have risked a lot and it's a great opportunity for us to help them out," he said.
Gunter's home was destroyed by the twister.

Link

21-Year-Old Student-Athlete Sacrifices Self To Save Girlfriend In Alabama Tornado

 

John Servati saved the life of his girlfriend during his final hours on Earth, but he "was a hero every day," according to one of his friends. 

According to WSFA, 21-year-old Servati died in the basement of a Tuscaloosa, Ala., home Monday night, as severe weather ripped through the South. He and his girlfriend had been seeking shelter from a tornado when a wall, which had been weakened by heavy rain, collapsed on Servati. The swimmer was pronounced dead at an Alabama hospital shortly after.

Anna Rae Gwarjanski, a fellow University of Alabama swimmer who said on Twitter she's been in contact with Servati's family, tweeted that the swimming star died while saving his girlfriend's life.

Link

And the one that hits me the hardest....

Airman dies saving his 5-year-old daughter's life

Master Sgt. Dan “Bud” Wassom II’s last action in this life was using his body to shield his 5-year-old daughter Lorelai as a tornado demolished his house on Sunday, said his mother, Pamela Wassom.

At the hospital, Lorelai told anyone who would listen that her father had saved her life, Pamela said.

“Lorelai kept telling the emergency room people, she said, ‘My daddy saved me; the house exploded and my daddy saved me; he’s a hero,’” Pamela said. “And he is. He’s a true hero.”

His wife Suzanne is also a hero, said her sister, Teresa Cole. Suzanne shielded their 7-year-old daughter, Sydney, when the tornado tore through Vilonia, Ark., north of Little Rock. Afterward, she moved both daughters to safety and helped a little boy who lived across the street.

Link

Green Ramp 20 years later...Rest in Peace

 

Yesterday marked the 20 year anniversary of the crash at Pope AFB's Green Ramp, that took 24 Paratroopers from our ranks.

The 82nd Airborne Division on Monday will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the deadly Green Ramp accident that killed 24 paratroopers.

The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at PAX shed 2 on Pope Army Airfield, N.C., according to information released by the 82nd Airborne.

Green Ramp is a staging area used by the Army and Air Force to prepare for and conduct joint operations.

On the afternoon of March 23, 1994, an F-16D Falcon collided with a C-130 Hercules transport plane while both were trying to land at Pope Air Force Base. The C-130 landed safely, according to an Army account.

The F-16 pilots ejected as the fighter plummeted to the ground, ricocheting across the tarmac and sliding into one of two parked C-141 Starlifters, according to the 82nd Airborne.

Both planes exploded in flames, hurling searing-hot metal through the air and spewing 55,000 gallons of fuel onto Green Ramp. The fireball swept across the staging area where paratroopers were preparing for airborne operations. The flames killed 24 soldiers and injured more than 80 others.

It was the largest loss of life for the 82nd Airborne Division in peacetime since World War II, according to information from the division.

“Twenty years ago today, disaster struck the Fort Bragg community," Maj. Gen. John Nicholson, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, said in a statement. "As a community, we grieved for those who were killed and wounded during the tragic accident at Green Ramp. Now, as a community, we are remembering and honoring the paratroopers who lost their lives and those who suffered severe injuries on that day."

Army Times

Fayetteville Observer

It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since my company was at the Bragg MOUT Site....when we heard an explosion, and looked over the treeline to see the smoke plume.

Blue skies and fair winds Brothers......

Shown to me by my loving wife.....who wouldn't forget either.....

Another Brother gone......

Rest in Peace Screaming Eagle.

RIP Arik

Ariel Sharon, one of the most influential figures in Israel’s history, a military commander and political leader who at the height of his power redrew the country’s electoral map, only to suffer a severe stroke from which he never recovered, died Saturday in a hospital near Tel Aviv. He was 85. 

In 1953, Mr. Sharon was asked to form and lead the first elite commando force for special operations behind enemy lines. It was named Unit 101, and although it operated as an independent unit for less than a year, it became legendary in Israel. The aim of the unit was to retaliate for cross-border raids, Arab violations of the 1949 armistice agreements and attacks against Israeli civilian targets.

Link

The Israeli badass.........

One Picture = A Thousand Words

h/t Bob Owens

'Nuff said.........

SSG Ty Carter - American Hero

Memorial Day

I have avoided any movie portraying our involvement in Iraq or Afghanistan. A hollywood portrayal is simply not something that I expect to be anywhere in the same zip code as the ground truth. But there are two movies that I have on my hard drive, that I was waiting for the right time. They are Restrepo and Memorial Day. This being Memorial Day weekend...and being deployed away from my family....I figured I could take the plunge, after a fair amount of Clynelishe 14 year SMS. Bear with me because I'm drunk as three Irishmen as I write this. It will, I'm sure, take another hour to edit with the bonus of spellcheck.

I watched the movie Memorial Day with James [and John] Cromwell. I'm glad I was alone. I've had this movie on my hard drive for quite awhile now, but have avoided watching it for many reasons. It's ironic to be glad I was alone alone when I finally did, and miserable because I couldn't turn to my wife when I need her most. I very nearly called her for comfort, but it would be 0330 EST as I write this...and she's had a rough weekend already. I'll see her and my babies in few weeks.

This rambling missive will have more meaning to those who have experienced the tragedy of war, this particular movie simply opened a dark door and I'm compelled by emotion to reference those parts that broke me down. I lost my military bearing early on when the grandson and grandfather had the following exchange, after pulling out a footlocker of WWII souvenirs and memorabilia:

Young Kyle Vogel: It's Memorial Day.

Bud Vogel: You're damn straight it is.

Young Kyle Vogel: What am I supposed to remember?

What are our children supposed to remember on this day? Our curious, inquisitive but innocent children. How can they know the true meaning of this day of remembrance? I want to forget everything associated with my experiences, but don't we have to pass on the horrors of war, so that this day has the meaning that it's owed? What will I tell my daughters if they ask? Will it have any meaning to them? Can I convey my emotions in a way that will make sense to them? Because of their age, I'm glad that I don't have to worry about that for at least a few years. If there are things that I haven't even shared with my wife, can I share them with my children, ever? Should the horrible nature of warfare be buried as if in a grave...or do they deserve the possibly cleansing light of day?

The one person who might get it, in my family...was taken in 2010...possibly by the very ship on which he served, the Destroyer USS Metcalf, in WWII. I never asked him if he was scared, or how he dealt with it. I never asked him how he put it behind him and raised a family that would make him proud. Even before I came home, I buried my emotions regarding war and loss. They remain buried today...but they bubble to the surface on occasion. My lovely wife has comforted me on most of those, but we are separated by distance tonight.

In the movie Memorial Day, the grandfather played by James Cromwell writes a letter to Kyle, which I will post the text of here:

Dear Kylie, my old head can't hold too much anymore but, today, a whole lot came flooding back into it. You might remember this afternoon as just another Saturday at Opa's farmhouse. It wasn't. I've never liked the word "souvenirs", but I guess that's what they are. Shards of memory, shrapnel. You take them to help you remember. What you don't count on is they don't let you forget. Pain. Happiness. Friendship. Death. Smells of diesel and dead animals. Eating meals within arm's length of corpses. Men you laughed with a day before. People wonder if leaders are born or made. All I know is, you can see it in a man's eyes. Problem is, leaders end up where they're needed most. And eventually, that's war. You're special Kylie. I hope you know that. I always have. But I need you to stay strong. People look to guys like us to make decisions. If you do wear the uniform one day, remember something, when you put it on, you don't get to choose the war or what happens when you get there. There's no right or wrong in combat. Here's only what you did. You do your best, and you try to live with it. Some day they'll take me off this porch for good. When that happens, what's left that matters? Photographs, letters, empty clothes? No. It's the stories behind them, those are what matter. Stories live forever, but only if you tell them. I may sound like I've known this a long time. I didn't know it until today. I just wanted to say thank you for teaching me that. It was one hell of a souvenir. Love, Opa. P.S. Know why I like birds so much? They don't just talk their stories, they sing them.

I started watching the movie knowing that it would bring up memories that I'd suppressed, I didn't know that it would leave me missing my Grandpa so very much. When he died, we grandkids each wrote a piece of the eulogy. I've posted this before, almost three years ago, but need to do so again:

Bill Steiling was my grandfather, and one could not find a better man to fill those shoes. But as if that weren't enough...he was much more. He was my role model on how to be a man, a husband and a father. He was the rock of stability during my troubled years of adolescence, and he was the anchor to which I always knew the family was safe during my many years away. He may never have known the impact he had on my life, and I never realized it until much too late.

He taught me how to be honest and unassuming. He taught by example that the greatest rewards in life were service to one’s nation, community and above all, family. He was an infinite wealth of knowledge, but always made you feel like it was you who had come up with the answer to a problem. The spirit of giving and self sacrifice loomed no larger in any other man. Acknowledging that we are all better for it, is an understatement.

Bill Steiling was also Seamen 1st Class aboard a US Navy Destroyer, during some of the most historic battles of the 20th century. Though if you brought that up, he would probably look away bashfully and steer the conversation towards your latest accomplishments. That he comes from “the Greatest Generation” only serves to honor that term, based not merely on his service during war, but in how he raised and shepherded the family sitting here today. He will be missed dearly, but his strengths have been passed to us…….through blood or friendship….and I can think of no greater gift from him. There is also not a greater duty upon us, than to honor his memory than by continuing to pass those gifts down to our families.

Seaman William Henry Steiling

Great Grandpa teaching his Great Granddaughters

I'm a stumbling wreck right now and it has taken me around an hour to type, edit and retype this post for any sort of  clarity...so I'll leave it here. This Memorial Day, I remember one who made it home from war....and raised a family in the truest spirit of the Greatest Generation.

Hiking in Memoriam....Trek II

Today's hike was on the serene Kamananui Valley Trail. An easy trek filled with Hawaiian history for a few miles, and then plunges into the land that time forgot. I'm not even sure exactly how far I made it. I didn't make it to the summit of the Koolau Range. The trail up the valley wall was simply too wet and slippery. Being solo, I decided not to temp fate. But it was a good, muddy, sweaty hike nonetheless.

I was all set in who I was dedicating this hike to, on this Memorial Day weekend.....but halfway through, as I was recalling memories of my friend Jim Doster...I realized that in the space of time since his death, I had forgotten one of my former Soldiers who had also lost his life. Not while he was in my unit, but in his next. I had forgotten Darrell Griffin. True, we weren't as close as Jim and I had been, Darrell being a PFC/SPC and I his Platoon Sergeant.....but I felt immediately shitty. Darrell reminded me a lot of myself at his stage of his career...and there is absolutely no doubt that he would have gone on to surpass anything I had done by the time I retired. He was already on that kind of track in the Army. So with today's hike, I remember two Fallen Warriors, and their families...and I hope you will as well.

Jim Doster was exactly like me in so many ways. I've expressed some of it before, and don't really feel like expanding on it again. Maybe later tonight, with some SMS and some privacy.

I previously wrote about SFC James Doster here and here.

I previously wrote about SSG Darrell Griffin, Jr here.

Please take a few minutes to know both Brothers-in-Arms.

I'll post a few pictures of today's hike, but sitting at Starbucks, I didn't bring my USB cable...and don't feel like e-mailing them to myself right now. They're not the point of this blog entry anyway.

Hiking In Memoriam

I decided to log two hikes with the long Memorial Day weekend....and dedicate each one to a Fallen Warrior, who was close to myself or my family.

I dedicated today's hike to LTC Roy Tisdale...whom I blogged about here.  My wife was a colleague of his, and held him in the highest regard, as a friend and sterling example of the Officer Corps. Another excellent blogger that you should know also wrote about his funeral, and I will link the photos that he chose...when he covered the Memorial for LTC Tisdale.

Blue Skies Sir.....

Something definitely appropriate for LTC Tisdale that I posted last year but can't seem to embed again.

Today's hike was on the Kamiloiki Ridge Trail. Not a particularly long trek...but one where I literally had to look down at nearly every step to ensure that I didn't trip over lava rock in the overgrown grass and tumble down the side of the ridge. This, of course, made it rather difficult to look for the next blaze, marking the trail. The Kamiloiki is not maintained, so it was a bit of an adventure making sure I was still on it.

 

Into the Breach

Dear USA,

Monday is Memorial Day. It is the day we honor our war dead, those warriors who gave what Lincoln called, "the last full measure of devotion." Enjoy your barbecues, your mattress sales, and your community pool openings, but remember you do so because those honored dead made it possible. Please do not offer your thanks to me or any other living veteran. It is not our day. We came home carrying our shields; they came home carried on theirs. Memorial Day the day we raise our glasses to absent comrades. Thank me and my living brothers-in-arms (and sisters, too) on Tuesday. But on Monday, turn your thoughts to the gardens of stone around the globe. See you at Section 60.

- Tom McCuin

A Father remembered......

MacAidan "Mac" Gallegos was only 5 when his father, Army Sgt. Justin Gallegos, was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. Not a day goes by that he doesn't think about him. On days like Jan. 24, his father's 31st birthday, he has found a special way to celebrate his birthday and honor his memory.

"I wanted to write my dad a letter and get it as close to heaven as possible," said Mac.

Mac and his mother Amanda Marr discussed ways to get the letter to heaven but ultimately decided that having someone fly it would be the best.

"I posted on Facebook that we were looking for a pilot who could fly the letter for Mac," said Marr. "Kyle Moxley from HAVE Alaska contacted me and said he would coordinate and try to make it happen."

Helping American Veterans Experience Alaska, or HAVE Alaska, was stood up in 2010 by Moxley and his wife Karla to provide opportunities for Veterans to experience hunting and fishing excursions in Alaska.

A few emails and phone calls later Mac, his mother and his step-father, Army Master Sgt. Jeremy Marr, were meeting Senior Airman Jennifer Dunham, 90th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief who gave them a tour of the Raptor.

Before stepping to fly Lt. Col. Brian Baldwin, a Reserve F-22 pilot assigned to the 302nd Fighter Squadron, met Mac at his F-22 where the little boy handed over the letter to his father written on red construction paper, his dad's favorite color.

"It is an honor to fly with Mac's letter," said Baldwin. "His father gave the greatest sacrifice to our country and I am humbled to be able to do something for him and his family."

Mac and his family have baked cupcakes and said they look forward to taking time out to remember Gallegos on his birthday.

"Over the years we would have a party for Justin on his birthday," said Marr, who grew up in Palmer, Alaska but now resides in Anchorage. "As Mac has gotten older we have turned it into a day where we do "Acts of Service" for others. It is important for us to remember Justin and celebrate his life."